Cooperative Extension Service

Welcome

This site was developed by the Committee for Noxious and Invasive Plants Management in Alaska (CNIPM).

Its goal is to heighten awareness of the problems associated with non-native invasive plants and to bring about greater statewide coordination, cooperation and action to halt the introduction and spread of undesirable plants.

If action is taken Alaska may be able to avoid the negative economic and ecological impacts associated with invasive plants. The most cost effective option for dealing with invasive plants involves detecting species as they are establishing and responding rapidly to their presence. To achieve this, interested citizens and participating agencies must work collaboratively to eliminate the threat of invasive plant species in Alaska.

Invasive plants have many characteristics that allow them to dominate native vegetation. They grow rapidly, mature early and are able to reproduce both sexually and vegetatively. These factors, along with many others, enable invasive plants to out-compete native vegetation. Entire ecosystems can be altered as plant communities change from native to nonnative. Nonnative invasive plants have been found to:

utilize large amounts of water and nutrients,

alter soil and water nutrient availability,

and increase fire frequency.

The negative impacts associated with invasive plants are not limited to terrestrial systems: